On Saturday, the Centre sought dismissal of a review petition seeking information about funds received by the Prime Minister's Citizens Assistance & Relief in Emergency Situation (PM CARES) Fund.

The Central Govt told the Nagpur bench of the Bombay HC that audit statement of receipt & payment accounts of the PM CARES Fund for 2019-20 was available on the trust's website.

An affidavit was filed by Pradeep Srivastava, Under Secretary in the Prime Minister's Office, before a division bench of Justices Sunil Shukre & Anil Kilor in response to a plea filed by Lawyer Arvind Waghmare.

Waghmare has sought a review of the HC's Aug 2020 order dismissing his petition for declaration of the funds received by PM CARES, a charitable trust set up by the Union Govt amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

In Aug 2020, the HC, however, dismissed the plea saying since the Public Charitable Trust Act was applicable to the PM CARES Fund, the petitioner was free to resort to the mechanism provided under the Act for redressal of his grievance of public disclosure of funds.

Later, in Dec 2020, Waghmare filed a review petition before the High Court, claiming that the Public Charitable Trusts Act was not applicable in Delhi & sought the court to direct the Govt to disclose details of the funds received & expenditure done.

The Centre, in its affidavit, stated that the review plea was completely "misconceived & is nothing but another attempt at seeking publicity".

It added that no new grounds have been raised in the review petition.

The Affidavit said that "Audit statement of receipt & payment accounts of PM CARES Fund for the financial year 2019-20 is available on the website of the Trust. As such, the petitioner cannot be said to have any grievances about disclosure of income & expenditure of the funds".

It further stated that the HC has already dismissed Waghmare's petition in the past & should now dismiss his review petition with exemplary cost.

On Saturday, the HC heard arguments of all parties & reserved its order on the review plea. 

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